I don't own Katekyo Hitman Reborn!

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Leaning against a tree, Sawada Tsu-chan, watches as enviously the various families about the park. Tomorrow marks the day where all five year olds will take their first step into taking control over their life by picking their gender and deciding on their Names. Parents being patient with their kids, from their spot near the tree, Tsu-chan can tell that while excitement is there among the kids, there's also nervousness about the weighty choice that's going to effect the rest of their life.

Unlike the others who spent the pass year switching between the different gender styles, nothing changed in how their mother treated them or bought for them never mind addressing them. It's clear that as far as their mother is concerned, Tsu-chan is a girl, Nana's daughter and it's been like that for as long as Tsu-chan can recall yet... yet... Why can't I be a boy?

It hadn't bothered them a year ago but now and having seen their classmates switch between gender identities along with going by different names... It sparked a desire to do the same and had tried to broach the topic with their mother only... only for it to be ignored with a pat on the head and suggestion of them baking something together. It hurts, even now, that it's clear that they are to pick girl and pick a suitable girl name.

It's suppose to be my choice... Tsu-chan thinks with a great deal of despair. Why does it feel like the choice has already been made for me? What does it mean if I were to...

There's no answers, really, their mother hasn't even acknowledged that this past year was anything special and the adults all seem to pity them when they broached about when they're going to pretend to be a boy, yet they clearly weren't going to interfere. Which feels like there's only one option, feeling cornered into picking it and, well, it's not like it's all that rare of an occurrence given their search on the topic. It's culturally frowned on but there's no law protecting kids from said practice, from the pressure, from the expectation.

Yes, their mother is getting shunned but it's not like the woman seems to notice it even happening to her. Then again, their mother just seems to operate in her own little world and it's what they're coming to dread as that means that they don't know how their mother will react to them picking boy. Why can't I have parents like most of the others? Tsu-chan wonders.

+ x - = | = - x +

Day of Gender, the First Day of a New Year and it's nearing midnight and yet, Tsu-chan can't do it, can't pick a gender. The Ritual Stone continues to glow in its polished wooden box, it's light calling to them to touch it and begin their journey into growing up. So tempting to answer that call... To do what's easy... What's expected...

Again, tears well up and begin to fall from their eyes. They couldn't fall asleep even though they are emotionally exhausted nor could they find it within them to look away from the Ritual Stone since they opened the box that appeared on their night stand. It had been noon when they had done so and now, now it's been a good number of hours that include a missed supper.

Blinking, they realize that once more, a hand is already moving to touch the tempting stone and with a groan, reaches for the top of the lid, closing the wooden box only... Yawning and blinking, they look around but, well, maybe a nap will help?

+ x - = | = - x +

"Almost five years..." I'm ten now... Tsu-chan muses while looking about the park and it's nine pm. None have noticed anything odd about them but then, they haven't been able to keep up with the others either.

Age seven saw their classmates picking a Dream Profession and Levels. Age eight saw them learning the importance of Profession Pursuit while teaching Stats spreads of Modern Professions. Age nine discussed Combat and the Sealed Areas. Age ten is where they now pick a Life Profession and they'll be Apprenticed to Masters.

Sighing, Tsu-chan pulls out the Ritual Stone from their pants pocket. Their pack is on the ground near the park's fountain filled with their savings, future gender appropriate cloths, bed roll, and food plus drinks, after all, they don't know what their future will hold from now on but one thing is certain, their future is for them to decide on, better or worst, this is their Life and it's time to take control, to leave this incomplete existence behind. As their age mates advanced into different stages of their own Life, they seem to become invisible to them and now... now it's like they're becoming invisible to everyone.

Pausing, they notice Hibari Kyoya stalking down the path of the park. The teen's gaze seems to just to not see them, eyes going to the pack near their feet before looking around with a scowl yet those eyes don't focus on them. They wait until Kyoya is gone from their sight before continuing with the task of opening the box and the moment the stone is in sight, their world changes.

With the Ritual Stone in their right hand, they Select their Gender, Male. Confirming and he feels different, he glances down to notice that yip, there's that bulge that means he's a male. Next, he Deletes the Last Name and does the same for Tsu-chan, tapping the space for First Name, then put in Yo as his name. Confirming only causes error telling him that he needs a Last Name in this Era so, tapping the Last Name, he types in Toboe.

With that, his Name is now Toboe Yo and then, well, he didn't expect how it doesn't end there, nope, now it's informing him that he is in possession of something called a Sky Flame and there is now a Perk Tree, something that should only be available upon becoming an Apprentice to a Master of a Life Profession. Yet, here is one before him and he's got Five Selections to use. Just looking at the 'Tree'... it's not like he's been told it should be as none of the options are blocked nor does it look like there's any per-requirements.

Using the Ritual Stone, he slowly reads each Perk being offered and after reading twelve of the Perks, it's clear that Harmony seems to be related to his Sky Flame. By the count of over twenty, Yo, sighs and rubs his face with his left hand. "So many choices..." He murmurs and he's not even sure just what it is he wants to pick, really. There seems to be Perks that relate to Combat and Life Professions but there's also some Perks that are clearly reality breaking like this one that allows the Sky to create flame wings on the back for flight, oh look, here's one that allows the forming of actual wings... Ah this one allows the Sky to take possession of another being... Another that's kind of in line with that possession Perk, it's one that allows shape shifting viva wearing a complete animal skin... Here's one that allows the Sky to cause grants regeneration within the Sky's own body but a bit less effective when it comes to causing said state in another being...

"Ok, that Regeneration sounds like a keeper." Yo admits after a bit and Selects it, there's a need to Confirm it. Solid orange fills the Perk and he feels something bloom within his body, its kind of warm and after a bit, he doesn't notice the warmth any more. Now though, there's these ghost options that's 'behind' the Regeneration Perk but decides to deal with it later, returning to reading more Perks.

Another set of Perks mention names of other Flames and deal with utilizing them or borrowing a Guardian's Flame or any other Flame User that's Harmonized with the Sky. Not knowing the context of why they'd be useful, Yo decides to leave those types be. After all, he barely knows what Sky and Harmony have to do with one another let alone what Storm or Cloud actually relate too.

Ah, here we go... He thinks with a smile as he finds a Perk that's meant to help manifest Sky Flames easier or manage them without Elements Harmonized with the Sky. For his second Perk, it's one that helps match the amount of Flames to his physical conditioning so he doesn't harm himself with his own Flames. He 'moves' to see the 'ghost' Perks behind the second Perk and is quick to select for his third Perk as one that grants him full immunity from damage caused by his own Flame.

Which reminds him of his first Perk and the 'Tree' reacts to this, soon enough, he's seeing those options as well in this second layer. There's a lot of health related Perks now with Flame manifestation Perks. After a bit, he moves back to the first layer of the 'Tree' and decide to pick a Perk related to a Profession. His fourth Perk is one that speeds up his ability to rank up Skills in relation to his Life Profession and for his final Perk, well, that's tricky but after a while, he finds himself drifting towards Combat related Perks.

"Hyper Intuition..." Yo murmurs upon finding a rather strange Perk, it doesn't give any information when he taps it, just a name. It flickers orange every few seconds as he keeps the stone over it and not really why, he Selects it and Confirms it.

The Perk 'Tree' fades away and yet again, he's got choices to make concerning Stat points along with him actually seeing his Level, which is low for his age as the average for his age is suppose to be near Level 20 by age ten, but then, it's likely due to him holding out so long so of course he hasn't earned the same Exp as other kids his age as they had picked Dream Professions and then a Profession Pursuit... Both of which would grant bonus Experience when learning Skills associated with said Professions. Guess my Level could be worst...

Sighing, he notices another Stat at the bottom which is in a different in look and it's Res in orange script, which likely means it's the Resistance Stat, which he, again, shouldn't have at this age... It's one that generally shows up at age nineteen, when they are considered adults throughout the World. While he can't see it clearly, the number is three digits long, meaning that it's at least over hundred already...

"First Sky Flames, a Perk Tree, and now Res? Gods above and below, just what is going on?" Yo wonders in exasperation before spending the seventy-five Stat points with the bulk going into his Con, recalling that his Flame use relays on his body's Conditioning and then putting as even a number into his Int and Wis as he recalls that Intelligence is mental power with Wisdom is mental storage, both feel Right to invest points into right now. So, he puts thirty-five points into his Con then twenty into his Int and Wis, Confirming this spread of Stat points.

He gets a bit of a headache along with body ache, but when both leave, Yo sighs as he realizes his poor choice in his Name but, well, it's not something he can change right now. Looking at his Stats, he realizes that Res must be related to Sky Flames given the orange color it's written in. Then again, he still can't see the number next to it.

His gaze moves to the Perk List and then below to his Skill List, none of the Skills Ranks are overly impressive but at the same time, at least he has them. There's an orange Skill at the bottom of the list, likely due to its Rank being zero and it's just Flame Manipulation: Sky Flames. With that, the Stat Sheet fades away to for him to pick a Life Profession, the above Profession options in accessible.

Most of the Professions listed are Ancient in nature and that's pretty strange all things considered, after all, Professions evolve as local civilizations did, responding to the new needs as civilization advances. Shaman... Soothsayer... Alchemist... Blacksmith... Leather-worker... Artificer... Hunter... Monster Trapper... Monster Stalker... Monster Tamer? He really doesn't like how some of these relate to the Sealed Areas, after all, that's where the Monsters still live and spawn within. There typically is a special division within the armies of the world that keep the Monsters from wandering out of those places.

He doesn't find any Professions like Engineer or Mechanic, not even the simple one like News Reporter or Novelist. It's starting to look that Dream Profession and Profession Pursuit might be of some importance when it comes to Profession evolution... Yo mentally realizes with a hint of dawning dread that his options are looking to be very limited.

Holding the Ritual Stone over the various options, he gets information, he's rather skeptical concerning some of the Professions are in line with ones like Shaman and Soothsayer. Any Profession relying on Mysticism isn't taken seriously these days and... But some of those Flame Perks... "Ok, so maybe there's more to these then what I've heard."

"Artificer? Isn't that just making magical items?" Yo wonders and from the information, he did get the gist but there's mentioning of using Monster Drops just makes it easier to create magical items. Better at making weapons and armor, average at the usual magic items, and crap at creating consumable items like potions or herbal remedies.

Alchemist for potions and herbal remedies but also potential for more... Enchanter for making general magical items, ok with potions, and not good with enchanting weapons and armor... Exorcist can create spell scrolls...

Yea, he's beginning to suspect that Mystical Professions are likely dependent upon a person's Flame and most Mystical Professions are considered Ancient and obsolete too. But the question is... "What do I pick?" Just what am I really looking for in a Profession? That's... ultimately what he should be considering.

To Be Continued . . .